Oil pan part for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

An oil pan part for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with a housing and a balancing shaft arrangement with at least one balancing shaft which is rotatably mounted in the housing in one or more cross members of the housing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102015003879.6, filed Mar. 26, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure pertains to an oil pan part for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car.

BACKGROUND

A balance shaft housing may be combined oil pump and angular momentum balance module for installation in an oil pan of a reciprocating piston engine. The oil pump housing may be formed together with the housing of angular momentum balance shafts in order to thereby reduce the number of components and the manufacturing time of the assembly.

The known oil pump housing is located with its balance shaft housing at an angle below the crankshaft in such a manner that an inlet of the oil pump lies in the oil pan and the counterweights rotate above the oil pan. In order to protect the combined oil pump and angular momentum balance module from oil of the crankshaft mounting, the oil pump and angular momentum balance module is completely encapsulated in the balance shaft housing from which only the oil suction opening of the oil pump projects into the oil pan.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an oil pan part for a motor vehicle having a housing for receiving a balancing shaft arrangement having at least one balancing shaft rotatably mounted one or more cross members of the housing. In an embodiment, the balancing shaft of the balancing shaft arrangement each have an unbalance about their axis of rotation or bearing axis. Through the balancing shaft arrangement, rotational irregularities, rotational excitations and/or rotational loads of the internal combustion engine can be advantageously reduced in accordance with the present disclosure.

By integrating the mounting of the balancing shaft arrangement in the housing of the oil pan part, the balancing shaft arrangement in an embodiment can be advantageously arranged in particular compact and/or stiff and/or near the excitation.

In an embodiment, the housing is formed in one piece, in particular primary formed, in particular cast. As a result, the housing can be advantageously produced in particular compact, stiff and/or easily.

In an embodiment, the housing can include metal, in particular a light metal alloy, in particular an aluminum and/or magnesium alloy thereof. As a result, the housing, in an embodiment, can be advantageously produced in particular simply and/or easily.

By mounting in one or multiple cross members, in particular transverse walls of the housing, which in a further development include with an axis of rotation of the balancing shaft (arrangement) an angle between 60° and 120°, in particular between 85° and 95°, the balancing shaft arrangement in an embodiment can be advantageously mounted in particular compact and/or stiff and/or near the excitation.

In an embodiment, the balancing shaft arrangement can include at least two balancing shafts which are rotatably mounted on the housing, in particular consist of two balancing shafts which are rotatably mounted on the housing, which are counter-rotating,ly coupled to one another. As a result, rotational irregularities, rotation excitations and/or rotational loads of the balancing shaft arrangement can be advantageously reduced or at least partially offset in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, two balancing shafts are counter-rotatingly coupled to one another by way of a gear wheel arrangement having two or more gear wheels.

In an embodiment, a first gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement which in particular is separate from the balancing shaft arrangement, meshes with a toothing of one of the two balancing shafts and a second gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement that is in particular separate from the balancing shaft arrangement, with a toothing of the other one of the two balancing shafts. In another embodiment, a toothing of one of the two balancing shafts meshes with a toothing of the other one of the two balancing shafts.

A toothing of a balancing shaft can in particular be formed integrally with the balancing shaft, in particular be out open or be formed on a pinion that is rotationally fastened on the balancing shaft in particular permanently and/or in a frictionally joined, positively joined and/or materially joined manner. A tooting of a balancing shaft can form in particular a gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement, which is formed joint to the balancing shaft in a rotationally fixed manner or integrally formed with the same.

Through a gear wheel arrangement, balancing shafts of the balancing shaft arrangement in an embodiment can become or are advantageously coupled in particular in a stiff, reliable and/or long-lasting manner. Through teeth, which are directly meshing with one another or are connected to the balancing shaft in a rotationally fixed manner or integrally formed gear wheels of the gear wheel arrangement, a compact arrangement can be advantageously achieved in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, one or more gear wheels of the gear wheel arrangement which are in particular separate from the balancing shaft arrangement become or are rotatably mounted in the housing. By integrating the mounting of the gear wheels in the housing, the gear wheel arrangement in an embodiment can be advantageously mounted in particular in a compact and/or stiff manner.

In an embodiment, the gear wheel arrangement is axially arranged between two rotary bearing pairs, in particular slide bearing pairs and/or rolling bearing pairs, in which the balancing shaft arrangement is rotatably mounted in the housing. As a result, an advantageous, in particular stiff mounting can be achieved in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, an oil pump, in particular an oil pump housing becomes or is fastened in the housing of the oil pan part. As a result, altogether compact and/or stiff positioning can be advantageously carried out in an embodiment. In a further development, the oil pump becomes or is detachably fastened in the housing, in particular in a positively joined and/or frictionally joined manner, in particular screwed to the same and/or engaged with the same. As a result, it can be advantageously replaced in an embodiment if required, In another further development, the oil pump becomes or is fastened in the housing in a durable, in particular materially joined manner, in particular welded, soldered and/or glued to the same. As a result, it can be advantageously fastened in a more reliable manner in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, a driveshaft of the oil pump is rotationally coupled to the balancing shaft arrangement. As a result, balancing shaft arrangement and oil pump, in an embodiment, can be advantageously driven jointly.

In an embodiment, a gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement becomes or is arranged on the driveshaft of the oil pump in a rotationally fixed manner, in particular durably and/or in a frictionally joined, positively joined and/or materially joined manner. As a result, the same can be advantageously used at the same time in an embodiment for driving the oil pump and (rotational) coupling of the balancing shaft arrangement.

In another embodiment, the driveshaft of the oil pump is coupled to the balancing shaft arrangement by way of a toothing that is in particular separate from the gear wheel arrangement. By coupling the driveshaft of the oil pump to the balancing shaft arrangement by way of a toothing that is separate or distinct from the gear wheel arrangement, in particular axially spaced, an advantageous distribution or arrangement can be made available in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, the housing includes an end face on the cylinder block side which can be fastened, in particular detachably, to a cylinder block of the internal combustion engine, in particular is or becomes fastened or is equipped for this purpose, and an end face located opposite on the bottom side which can be fastened in particular detachably to a bottom cover of the internal combustion engine, in particular is or becomes fastened or is equipped for this purpose. In an embodiment, one or both end faces include passage and/or blind hole bores, in which in a further development screws or bolts for fastening the cylinder block or bottom cover engage, become or are in particular screwed or which are equipped for this purpose. As a result, the oil pan part in an embodiment can be advantageously fastened to the cylinder block or bottom cover, In an embodiment, both end faces are or become machined in particular in a chip-removing manner. As a result, the fastening can be advantageously improved in an embodiment. In an embodiment, the end face on the cylinder block side is completely or partly closed. As a result, an advantageous oil charge and/or oil distribution can be made available. In a further development, the partly closed end face on the cylinder block side includes a passage opening for the rotational coupling of the balancing shaft arrangement to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, in particular for a belt, splined, chain or wheel drive.

In an embodiment, the balancing shaft arrangement that is mounted in the housing projects over the end face of the housing on the bottom side. Additionally or alternatively, the oil pump that is fastened in the housing projects in an embodiment over the end face of the housing on the bottom side. Additionally or alternatively, the gear wheel arrangement, in an embodiment, in particular one or more of its gear wheels, projects over the end face of the housing on the bottom side. As a result, the housing in an embodiment can be advantageously formed in a more compact and/or easy manner.

In an embodiment, the balancing shaft arrangement, in particular the or one or more, in particular all balancing shafts of the balancing shaft arrangement becomes or is radially rotatably mounted in the housing and in a further development axially fixed or mounted by way or by means of one or more slide and/or rolling bearings. Through separate slide or rolling bearings, which in an embodiment can be connected or can become connected fixed to the balancing shaft arrangement, in another embodiment fixed to the housing, a low-friction mounting can be advantageously made available in an embodiment. Additionally or alternatively, one or more balancing shaft circumferential surfaces of the balancing shaft arrangement, in particular multiple circumferential surfaces which are axially spaced from one another of at least one balancing shaft and/or multiple circumferential surfaces of adjacent balancing shafts which are in particular parallel to one another become or are arranged on a slide bearing surface in an embodiment, which is or becomes integrally formed with the housing, in particular worked in a chip-removing manner. Through such integral slide bearing surfaces, a stiff and/or compact mounting can be advantageously made available in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, the balancing shaft arrangement becomes or is arranged between the housing and a support, which is or becomes fastened on the housing. As a result, the balancing shaft arrangement in an embodiment can be advantageously mounted. In a further development, the support becomes or is detachably fastened on the housing, in particular in a frictionally joined and/or positively joined manner, in particular by way of one or more screws and/or by way of engagement. As a result, the assembly in an embodiment can be advantageously simplified and/or the balancing shaft arrangement disassembled if required. In another further development, the support becomes or is durably fastened to the housing, in particular in a materially joined manner, in particular welded, soldered and/or glued to the same. As a result, it can be advantageously fastened in a more reliable manner in an embodiment.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an oil pan for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, in particular an oil pan of a motor vehicle, in particular of a passenger car, includes an oil pan part and a bottom cover described here, which is or becomes fastened on the housing of the oil pan part. The bottom cover, in an embodiment, can include plastic, in particular a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic, sheet metal and/or light metal, in particular an aluminum and/or magnesium alloy, in particular consist thereof and/or be or become cast As a result, weight and/or costs of the floor pan can be advantageously reduced in an embodiment.

In a further development, the bottom cover becomes or is detachably fastened on the housing, in particular in a frictionally and/or positively joined manner, in particular by way of one or more screws and/or by way of engaging. As a result, the assembly in an embodiment can be advantageously simplified and/or the bottom cover disassembled if required. In another further development, the bottom cover becomes or is durably fastened to the housing in particular in a materially joined manner, in particular welded, soldered and/or glued to the same. As a result, it can in an embodiment be advantageously fastened in a more reliable manner.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, in particular an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in particular of a passenger car, includes an oil pan part described here, in particular an oil pan described here, wherein the housing of the oil pan part is or becomes fastened to a cylinder block of the internal combustion engine.

In a further development, the cylinder block becomes or is detachably fastened on the housing, in particular a frictionally joined and/or positively joined manner, in particular by way of one or more screws and/or by way of engaging. As a result, the assembly can be advantageously simplified in an embodiment and/or the cylinder block disassembled if required. In another further development, the cylinder block becomes or is durably fastened to the housing, in particular in a materially joined manner, in particular welded, soldered and/or glued to the same. As a result, it can be advantageously fastened in an embodiment in a more reliable manner.

In an embodiment, the balancing shaft arrangement is rotationally coupled to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, in particular by way of the gear wheel arrangement or a separate drive pinion, in particular by way of a belt, splined, chain or wheel drive, which in an embodiment is rotationally coupled to a shaft of the gear wheel arrangement.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car includes an oil pan part described here, in particular an oil pan or internal combustion engine described here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

FIG. 1 is a section through an internal combustion engine with an oil pan with an oil pan part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 2 is a section through an internal combustion engine with an oil pan with an oil pan part according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

FIG. 1 shows a radial section through an internal combustion engine with an oil pan with an oil pan part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, The oil pan part includes a housing 10 which is primary-formed from a light metal alloy and a balancing shaft arrangement with two balancing shafts 2A, 2B, which are rotatably mounted in cross members 11 of the housing 10. The two balancing shafts 2A, 2B are counter-rotationally coupled to one another by way of a gear wheel arrangement with two gear wheels 3A, 3B, wherein a first gear wheel 3A that is separate from the balancing shaft arrangement meshes with a toothing of a balancing shaft 2A that is rotatably mounted in the housing 10 and a second gear wheel 3B that is separate from the balancing shaft arrangement meshes with a toothing of the other balancing shaft 2B. An oil pump housing 40 is fastened in the housing 10 of the oil pan part and for this purpose screwed to the same. The gear wheel 313 of the gear wheel arrangement is arranged on a driveshaft 41 (dashed line in FIG. 1) of the oil pump. As a result, the driveshaft 41 is rotationally coupled to the balancing shaft arrangement 2A, 2B.

The housing 10 includes an end face 12 (top in FIG. 1) on a cylinder block side that is machined in a chip-removing manner which is detachably fastened by screws to a cylinder block 50 (partly indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1) and an end face 13 located opposite on the bottom side that has been machined in a chip-removing manner, which is detachably fastened by screws to a plastic, sheet metal or light metal bottom cover 60 of the internal combustion engine. The oil pump 40 that is fastened in the housing 10 and the gear wheel 3B of the gear wheel arrangement mounted in the housing 10 project over the end face 13 of the housing 10 on the bottom side (downwards in FIG. 1).

In the exemplary embodiment, the balancing shafts 2A, 2B are rotatably mounted radially and axially fixed via separate slide or rolling bearings 20 in the cross members 11 of the housing 10. In a modification which is not shown, balancing shaft circumferential surfaces of the balancing shafts 2A, 2B on slide bearing surfaces can also be arranged in the cross members 11 of the housing 10 and as a result rotatably mounted radially. The balancing shafts 2A, 2B are arranged between the cross members 11 of the housing 10 and a support 70, which is detachably fastened to the housing 10 by way of screws. An output shaft of the internal combustion engine is rotationally coupled to the shaft of the gear wheel 3A and by way of this to the balancing shafts 2A, 2B and the driveshaft 41 of the oil pump 40 via a belt drive 80.

FIG. 2 shows a more schematic axial section through an internal combustion engine with an oil pan with an oil pan part according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. Except for differences which are explained in the following, the same corresponds to the embodiment which is explained above with reference to FIG. 1, so that elements which correspond to one another are identified by identical reference characters and reference is made to the above description and only differences are discussed in the following. The embodiment of FIG. 2 also includes two balancing shafts 2A, 2B, which via slide or rolling bearings 20 are mounted in transverse webs of the housing 10 and are coupled to one another counter-rotationally through a gear wheel arrangement 3C, 3D.

In contrast with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the gear wheels 3C, 3D of this gear wheel arrangement are formed by teeth 3C, 3D which are integrally formed with the balancing shafts 2A, 2B, which mesh with one another. The driveshaft 41 of the oil pump 40 is rotationally coupled to the balancing shaft 2B via a toothing 90 that is separate from this gear wheel arrangement. The output shaft of the internal combustion engine is rotationally coupled to the balancing shaft 2A via the belt drive 80 and a separate drive pinion 81.

Otherwise, the embodiment of FIG. 2 corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 1. In particular, the balancing shafts 2A, 2B in this case are also arranged between the housing 10 and a support which is not shown in the section of FIG. 2, which is detachably fastened to the housing 10.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. An oil pan assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a housing and a balancing shaft arrangement with at least one balancing shaft rotatably supported in the housing on at least one cross members thereof.
 17. The oil pan assembly according to claim 16, wherein the balancing shaft arrangement comprises first and second balancing shafts rotatably supported in the housing, wherein the first balancing shaft is counter-rotatingly coupled to the second balancing shaft.
 18. The oil pan assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a gear wheel arrangement having at least two gear wheels counter-rotatingly coupling the first and second balancing shafts.
 19. The oil pan assembly according to claim 18, wherein at least one gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement is rotatably supported in the housing
 20. The oil pan assembly according to claim 18, wherein at least one gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with one of the first and second balancing shafts.
 21. The oil pan assembly according to claim 18, wherein a first gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement meshes with a first gear on the first balancing shaft and a second gear wheel of the gear wheel arrangement meshes with a second gear on the second balancing shaft
 22. The oil pan assembly according to claim 18, wherein a first gear of the first balancing shaft meshes with a second gear on the second balancing shaft.
 23. The oil pan assembly according to claim 18, further comprising an oil pump detachably fastened in the housing.
 24. The oil pan assembly according to claim 23, wherein a driveshaft of the oil pump is coupled to the balancing shaft arrangement.
 25. The oil pan assembly according to claim 24, wherein a gear wheel of a gear wheel arrangement is arranged rotationally fixed on the driveshaft of the oil pump.
 26. The oil pan assembly according to claim 16, wherein the housing comprises an end face on the cylinder block side for detachable fastening on a cylinder block and an end face on the bottom side located opposite for detachable fastening a bottom cover.
 27. The oil pan assembly according to claim 26, wherein the balancing shaft arrangement is mounted in the housing and at least one of the oil pump and the gear wheel arrangement projects over the face end on the bottom side of the housing.
 28. The oil pan assembly according to claim 16, wherein the balancing shaft arrangement is mounted in the housing on a bearing assembly and at least one balancing shaft circumferential surface is arranged on a bearing surface, which is integrally formed with the housing.
 29. The oil pan assembly according to claim 16, wherein balancing shaft arrangement is arranged between the housing and a support detachably fastened to the housing.
 30. The oil pan assembly according to claim 16 further comprising a bottom cover detachably fastened to the housing of the oil pan assembly.
 31. The oil pan assembly according to claim 30, wherein the bottom cover comprises a cover formed of at least one of plastic, sheet metal or light metal.
 32. An internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle comprising a cylinder block and an oil pan assembly according to claim 16, wherein the housing of the oil pan assembly is detachably fastened to the cylinder block.
 33. A motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine according to claim
 32. 